Errors All Boxers Should Look Out for

Regardless if you’re a brand new boxer or an experienced one, bad techniques will result in small bad habits which can be difficult to fix. At some point, they become weaknesses your opponent could exploit. If you want to become a better boxer, you have to be aware of certain mistakes you are making so you can correct it before it becomes a problem.

Here are six common mistakes that you might notice yourself doing while you are boxing. If you detect any of them, you should correct it before it gets worse.

Leaving the Stance

This problem is more common in the beginner fighters, but experienced boxers aren’t immune either. Usually following a couple of moments of boxing or when a boxer begins to feel a little stress, they revert back to natural movements rather than remaining anchored into their stance, moving like a fighter or using the proper blocking techniques.

New boxers usually haven’t practiced the correct movements enough and just forget what they’re doing, particularly when they are deep into a match. Experienced amateurs might take the fight too lightly or return when they become tired if conditioning isn’t in a high enough level.

No matter the reason or the level of experience of the boxer, the propensity to leave the posture and guard has to be avoided as it’s typically the origin of other problems and errors that appear from the fighter’s ability.

Improper Foot Placement

This could happen while stationary or utilizing footwork. Care must be taken to ensure the legs are the correct distance apart; not too far away and not too close together. Being level footed is the wrong technique and it’ll be particularly prevalent on the boxer’s back foot. You must make sure to stay on the ball of the back foot.

Heel Stepping

While performing footwork, boxers can go back into a stepping movement whereby they step on the heel and after that the ball of the foot when in motion. Doing this makes any forward movement exceptionally inefficient, slow and awkward.

Leg Crossers

Throughout footwork or any movements, if the boxer isn’t moving correctly from their position they might cross their legs. When this happens, the boxer will be in an awkward position causing them to be off balance.

Off balance is never a good thing in boxing and could lead to a simple knockdown. The boxer will have no capability to do anything offensively or defensively.

The Flexer

Being tight, wound up and coiled to attack with every muscle tensed and ready to respond might seem like a fantastic concept, but it’s incredibly draining and really slows down your reflex time. Boxers who aren’t used to sparring or fighting will more than likely tense up during their first couple of fights. You have to learn to unwind in the proper boxing position and in your moves to improve your reflexes and conserve more energy.

The Retractors

Some fighters will yank their hips back to guard the stomach area. This makes moving a lot harder. Likewise, a few fighters will push their chin to the body too deeply or maintain their heads in an unusual fashion that also hinders moves and punching technique.